Graf's Takeaways: MADE Hoops' Midwest Mania
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Rivals was on hand at MADE Hoops’ Midwest Mania last weekend. The showcase featured a lot of Rivals150 talent in the 2023 class, as well as some prospects to keep an eye on in the upcoming classes.
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More: Five-star Julian Phillips will take visits and make a swift decision
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Rivals150
2024 Rankings: Top 40
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Midwest Basketball Club’s backcourt is one of the nation’s best
Indiana commit Gabe Cupps and Kentucky pledge Reed Sheppard are a dynamic duo for Midwest Basketball Club. They play hard and have a ton of fun every time that they’re on the court. They both like to push the pace and get out in transition.
Cupps and Sheppard can both handle the ball and facilitate at a high rate, and both are deadly from the outside when left open. The backcourt tandem did a great job of setting the table for running mates Rayvon Griffith, Maki Johnson and Donovan Hunter.
If you’re able to check out this team during the spring and summer months, I suggest you do so.
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Isaiah Miranda shows upside, has three schools in focus
Rhode Island Elite’s Isaiah Miranda was hit or miss on the weekend, but his flashes were absolutely elite. For someone who has only played the game for a few years, his upside is very promising. The 7-foot-1 big man moves very fluidly on the court and is able to switch onto every position on the defensive end.
'Offensively, he showed outside shooting potential at times and was able to score off of drop steps and hook shots. Miranda also showed the ability to initiate the break at times and put his head on the rim on many dunk attempts.
In terms of Miranda’s recruitment, Rhode Island Elite’s head coach, Nick Light, tells Rivals that three programs are sticking out the most at this time: USC, Connecticut and Kentucky. Depending on how this AAU season goes, a reclassification to 2022 could be on the table for the four-star big man.
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Maki Johnson thriving in new system
Four-star guard Maki Johnson looked the best that he has in a long time this weekend while playing on the perimeter for Midwest Basketball Club. His role is simplified and is exactly what it’ll be at the college level, which is be a knockdown 3-point shooter, a secondary ball-handler and facilitator, and be versatile defensively. Johnson did all three of those at a high level this weekend.
His shot was the most consistent it’s been in quite awhile, he was playing with confidence and energy, and he was diving on the floor and ripping rebounds away from other teams’ big men.
Johnson definitely looked rejuvenated and his recruitment is still wide open, with some programs set to come to the table in the coming weeks. Currently, he hears from Ohio State, NC State, Michigan State, Purdue and Virginia Tech the most.
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RJ Greer is a 2025 to keep an eye on
Midwest Basketball Club’s RJ Greer had a terrific weekend and projects as one of the top prospects in the 2025 class. Greer showed multi-level scoring ability and was great in transition, but what stuck out the most was his shooting ability from the outside. The 2025 guard hit eight threes in one game in which he scored a game-high 26 points.
Greer just recently picked up an offer from Florida. He also tells Rivals that Kentucky, Virginia Tech and Dayton are also starting to get into the mix.